A tribute to and catalogue of the works of Alexander "Hugin" Wieser, founder of ambient black metal band Uruk Hai and many other side-projects, including Hrossharsgrani, Hrefnesholt, Elisabetha, B-Machina, Ceremony of Innocence and more!
Here you will find my thoughts on his work and details on the releases as drawn from items in my personal collection, forming a fuller catalogue of his work than is currently available elsewhere online

Thursday, 27 May 2010

REHEARSAL 2001

Band:ELISABETHA

Title: Rehearsal 2001

Format: Cassette demo pressed in 2010 by Wulfrune Worxx (France) as part of their Split Series range of releases, catalogue reference WW108. The reverse side of this split tape is "Asgard" by Hugin. Tape comes with black and white copied inlay and C60 style cassette.

Edition:Hand-numbered edition of 66 copies

Track Listing:

01. Untitled 3.23

02. Untitled 7.45

03. Untitled 9.24

04. Untitled 7.38

Any bout of deja-vu experienced through the title of today's Blog is probably due to the fact that you have in the back of your mind the posting from 12 February 2010 where the unique Hrefnesholt tape "Rehearsal 2001" fell under the Honour and Darkness spotlight. That particular gem is nothing whatever to do with this Elisabetha release, however, which is an official Wulfrune Worxx pressing in a limited quantity of 66 copies (this one being #10, and kindly personalised by Hugin).

This short collection of untitled rehearsal tracks date from 2001, around the time the band were issuing some of their most iconic demos - "Demeter", "Isten Szek!" and "Sterbegesänge" on tape, together with their 3-track vinyl EP "Bluthochzeit". As you might very well imagine therefore the music contained within is reminiscent of that period in the band's history, and features their trademark eerie and uneasy atmosphere together with some Gregorian chanting and the odd wolf baying at the moon!

Listening to vintage Elisabetha has always been a little like taking a short cut through those gloomy woods near home - it always turns out right in the end, but occasionally you might scare yourself witless on the way! Here the oddly juxtaposed instrumentation and weirdly haunting compositions will raise goose-flesh on the listener's skin on more than occasion, whilst the overall atmosphere conveyed is one of grave unease and remains highly unsettling throughout. Masterful!